Art of Love
by TLY
Summary: Put on hold indefinitely.
1. Prologue

Art of Love

_Author: L_

Disclaimer: _I do not own _Twilight_ or any of its characters._

Author's Note: _I haven't written a story in a long time so my writing needs more practice. I'm sorry but I won't be able to update this until next week because I have four AS exams to revise for. I think the timeline is inaccurate because I haven't read the books in a while. This prologue takes place before _Twilight_ which means that Bella hasn't arrived yet._

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_Prologue_

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Fourteen-year-old Jacob Black wandered absentmindedly through the streets of La Push, occasionally kicking a lone rock across the gravel, watching as it left a path of dust in its trail. He was bored. His father, Billy, had allowed him to build his own makeshift garage next to their house but stopped short of actually providing Jacob with the cars to work on.

_"Hey, Jake, wait up!"_

_Glancing over his shoulder, Jacob saw his two best friends, Quil and Embry, sprinting in an attempt to catch up to him. His eyes brightened at the sight of them, hoping that they were going to come up with another one of their thrill-seeking ideas which would hopefully curb the tediousness of his day._

_Both teenagers were completely out of breath by the time they reached Jacob but that didn't stop excited smiles from spreading across their faces. Embry, being the first to recuperate, was eager to share what they had witnessed only mere minutes beforehand._

_The words flew out of his mouth in a rush. "We know why Sam and Leah broke up."_

_While there was plenty of fun to be had in La Push (see: surfing and cliff-diving), nothing out of the ordinary ever happened here – despite the stories Billy liked to share with his son – so when news of the high-school sweethearts' break-up became public knowledge, rumours began to fly incessantly within the small reservation._

_Jacob and his friends had always idolised Sam Uley because he was pretty much the definition of the word 'cool'. Whenever Sam visited his old school, every woman – teachers and students alike – would be caught under the spell of his charming smile but he only ever had eyes for one girl. Leah Clearwater was every teenage boy in La Push's dream and also the sole inhabitant of Sam's heart. She was beautiful and down-to-earth with a close family and a happy life. _They_ were the perfect couple._

_Over the past few years, people had been placing bets on when their wedding would take place; Jacob, himself, was sure that they would get married straight out of high school. No one had ever expected to hear that they had broken-up._

_"If this is another one of those..." Jacob started in a cynical tone, raising his eyebrow sceptically at his friends. He had learnt that when people were bored, they could dream up some really ridiculous things._

_Quil shook his head quickly, cutting Jacob off mid-sentence. "No, this is real. We saw it with our own eyes," he insisted. "Sam was holding hands with Emily Young!"_

_His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as he listened to the words over and over again in his head, just to make sure that he hadn't misheard them. When Jacob was certain that he didn't need his ears checked, he questioned out loud in a disbelieving tone, "When you say 'Emily Young', you don't mean Leah's _cousin_, do you?"_

_They both nodded at once but stayed silent as they watched his expression scrunch into complete bewilderment. It had taken them several minutes to register what was happening before their very eyes and it would probably take Jacob even longer to let it sink in._

_Jacob eyed his friends with suspicion. "You know, of all the things that you could have come up with, this is crossing the line," he reprimanded, not amused by this latest accusation of betrayal on Sam's part, especially with someone who was practically a sister to Leah._

_"We saw them together, Jake," Embry said in an adamant tone. "We couldn't believe it either at first. Sam and Leah had always been so happy together and they really loved each other as well. I mean, if Leah was _my_ girlfriend..."_

_"Yeah, keep dreaming," laughed Quil. "Leah is attractive but from where I was standing, her cousin is even more beautiful. I can see why Sam traded –"_

_"Quil!" hissed Jacob in a low voice but the damage was done._

_Leah was stood a few feet away from the boys and when all three sets of eyes focussed on her broken expression, they saw that she was trying – and failing – to fight the tears that were threatening to spill over. An apology washed over Quil's features at once but before he could say anything, Leah had already spun around on her heels and taken off back down the path she had come from._

_"I'll go," Jacob murmured, giving Quil a sympathetic pat on the shoulder as he rushed after Leah._

_In an attempt to save herself from experiencing further humiliation, Leah hastily wiped her tears away and broke into a sprint when she heard Jacob calling her name. She felt exposed; every time that someone had looked at her after the break-up, she wondered if they knew the extent of the pain that her boyfriend, her high school sweetheart, _her_ Sam had caused. She wondered if they knew that the source of this heartbreak came from someone within Leah's family – that it was her cousin who had stolen her boyfriend. She didn't want to see the pity in people's eyes or hear the sympathy in their voices. She didn't want to feel the aching pain wrenching through her heart anymore but right now, the one thing that she wanted the most was for Jacob to leave her alone._

_Jacob reached out and grabbed Leah's arm. She tried to shrug him off but he held onto it firmly, refusing to give her another opportunity to run away again._

_"Leah, I'm sorry. _We're_ sorry. Quil didn't mean what he said," Jacob told her; a part of him was desperately hoping that there could be some way to undo the pain those words had caused her._

_"S__ure _he did," Leah responded coldly with a bitter laugh. "Why would anyone go for Leah Clearwater when they could have Emily Young? Like Quil said, she's beautiful and... Well, I'll have to find him later and let him finish off the list of reasons why no one _would _want to be with me." _Her voice started to crack as she finished her sentence and she began to struggle away from Jacob agai_n, trying to spare herself the embarrassment of crying in front of him.

_"I can't think of a single reason why anyone would _not_ want to be with you," Jacob murmured in a softer tone. "You have the most captivating personality out of everyone in La Push and whoever even thinks about questioning your beauty seriously needs to have their eyes tested. You don't need Sam to be happy. I know that you'll find someone who is willing and able to appreciate how special you are, and that person would never be stupid enough to let you go."_

_Leah's eyes locked with his and she saw the sincerity he held in them but no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't let herself trust him. She had believed everything that Sam had ever told her, listened to every promise that he had made but in the end, all she got was a broken dam of tears._

_Instead of doing what she really wanted to in that moment – which was to wrap her arms around Jacob and let herself cry into his shoulder – she wretched her arm free of his grip and released her emotions in a completely different way._

_"What do you know? You're just a _kid_, Jacob! You're not mature enough to understand what it's like to love someone only to have them break your heart and sacrifice everything that you had or could have had together for someone else. You don't understand... You won't ever understand."_


	2. Chapter 1

Art of Love

_Author: L_

Disclaimer: _I do not own _Twilight_ or any of its characters._

Author's Note: _This isn't very well written because I'm having a miserable day – I seriously screwed up on my Economics exam – but I thought I would give it a try. Chapter 1 takes place two years after the prologue, at the start of the _Eclipse_. I won't include a flashback in every chapter but I want to use them to show a gradual change in Leah's personality._

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Chapter 1

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"They're at it again," smirked Jared. He dug his hands into the pockets of his shorts and watched in anticipation as the two snarling wolves continued to circle each other, baring their teeth threateningly.

"Come on, Jake, take her down," Embry cheered, giving his friend some encouragement.

Paul snickered and shot his friends a wicked grin. "No way, my money is on Leah. After all, Jacob's just a boy and there's still a lot he needs to learn."

Refusing to allow Paul's taunting to distract him, Jacob kept his gaze firmly on Leah and shifted into an attacking stance. _"You know, if you want a little more time to train then we can always reschedule. I don't want to see you get hurt."_ Cocking his head to the side, Jacob used the teasing tone he knew she found patronising and added, _"Are you ready, Clearwater?"_

Leah rolled her eyes, amused by his feeble attempt to knock her confidence. _"Bring it on, Black."_

The circling slowed and they started to mirror each other's actions, taking full advantage of the communication system they usually loathed. A smirk slowly formed across their faces as a dangerous gleam flashed in their eyes and before another second could pass by, the two wolves launched themselves into the air. The rest of the pack leaned forward eagerly, not wanting to miss a scratch between them but all of a sudden, a large, pure black wolf tore through the forest and intercepted their mid-air collision. Jacob and Leah flew back at once and landed steadily on their paws.

_"If the two of you do not phase back into a human immediately, I will make it an _order_,"_ warned Sam.

Neither of them appreciated Sam exerting his role as an alpha but they chose not to contest his threat. Instead, Leah expressed her disdain by stomping off towards a secluded part of the forest while Jacob and Sam each found an isolated spot to phase in privacy.

Jared opened his mouth, ready to complain about the fight – or lack of – when Sam returned, wearing a frustrated expression. A few seconds later, Jacob and Leah rejoined their friends and prepared themselves for a lecture from their alpha.

After pacing back and forth several times, Sam came to a complete stop and turned to face the pack. "I want an explanation," he said in a simple but firm tone.

Paul elbowed Seth in the side, catching him by surprise, and nodded subtly in Sam's direction. A reluctant look spread across Seth's face as he cleared his throat to get Sam's attention before mumbling, "Well, I guess it started when Leah told Jacob not to forget where his loyalties lie when his girlfriend becomes a 'bloodsucker'. Jacob responded by saying that knows he can get Bella to change her mind and then Leah said, 'No, you can't' and Jacob said, 'Yes, I can' and Leah said –"

"I think he gets it," muttered Leah with a dark look at her brother who shot her an apologetic smile in return. She turned towards Sam and demanded in an icy tone, "Are we done here? I don't like leaving Sue on her own now that..." Her voice softened as dropped her gaze but she caught Sam's sympathetic nod out of the corner of her eye. "Come on," she murmured to Seth and they started away from the group. She stopped momentarily to glance over her shoulder at Jacob and smirked. "I'm taking you down next time."

Jacob grinned and raised a disbelieving eyebrow playfully at her. "We'll see about that." He was the only one who noticed her small, grateful smile before walking away again.

"I'll see you back at Emily's house," Sam told the rest of the pack who all nodded in agreement. "Except you, Jacob," he added in his authoritative tone. "I have something to discuss with you."

Quil and Embry shared an apprehensive look with each other, conscious of their best friend's recent volatile temper, but thought it best not to get involved. They turned and phased, following the path Paul and Jared had taken.

"Jacob, I know things have been complicated between you and Bella, and I know Leah has been struggling with Harry's death and the problems in our... past." Sam paused at the mention of this but the uncomfortable silence was hastily dismissed. "As members of the Quileute tribe, it is our duty to ensure that the treaty is honoured and in order to do that, we have to work as a team. I understand why Leah needs an outlet for her emotions but I don't want to see it turn into violence – especially within our own pack – and I just hope you won't encourage her in the future."

Jacob narrowed his eyes angrily. "You're right; Leah _has_ been through a lot and if that wasn't enough, some cruel twist of fate made us all become shape-shifters and made _you_ become her alpha which is exactly why she doesn't need to dwell on it any more than she already has. Arguing and fighting is a welcome distraction for her and while it may not be the best way for her to deal with her problems, it's what _she_ wants. And in case you've forgotten, you're the reason why Leah is like this. _You_ broke her."

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"_You need to apologise to her," Jacob told Quil when they spotted Leah sitting by herself on the beach, staring sadly at the horizon._

_Quil bit his lip nervously and shook his head. "You were trying to be nice to her yesterday and she snapped at you. _I_ was the one who made the stupid comment about Sam trading Leah for Emily so I dread to think what she's going to do to me."_

_"You need to apologise to her," repeated Jacob in a firmer tone._

_"The current's quite strong today," Embry mused. "She could always push you into the ocean and watch as the waves sweep you further and further away from the shore until they swallow you up..."_

_"Not helping," glared Quil. "I should probably give her a few days to cool down before I apologise to her. She's too angry to hear it right now."_

_Jacob sighed. "Quil, don't be a coward."_

_Scowling at his best friends, Quil took a deep breath and jogged along the beach, slowing to a walk when he had almost reached her. Leah brought her knees close to her chest, wrapping her arms tightly around them in an attempt to shield herself from the cold – but it was mostly to give herself the comfort that she refused from others – and when Quil was close enough, he noticed that her face was stained with tears._

_"Go away," muttered Leah, without even a glance in his direction._

_He dug his foot into the sand, nervously tracing circles in it. "Leah... Listen, I'm really sorry for what I said yesterday. I didn't mean it. I don't know what compelled me to even think it in the first place because you're the most beautiful girl in La Push," he mumbled, raising his gaze slightly before swiftly looking away._

_There was a long silence before Leah finally turned towards him and asked, "Did Jacob tell you to apologise to me?"_

_To say that Quil had been caught off guard by the question would have been an understatement but he recovered quick enough to respond with an awkward, "Uh..."_

_Leah sighed as she turned back towards the ocean and Quil had to strain to hear her next words over the loud, roaring crash of the waves. "Please, just leave me alone," she whispered softly. Leah, on the whole, seemed emotionally drained. She was tired of thinking, tired of crying, tired of asking the same questions that she couldn't answer over and over again. She just wanted some solitude._

_Quil nodded and started to turn away. "For what it's worth, I really am sorry," he murmured before making his way back across the beach._


	3. Chapter 2

Art of Love

_Author: L_

Disclaimer: _I do not own _Twilight_ or any of its characters._

Author's Note: _This chapter is an attempt at reviving this story and I'm sorry it's short. I can't promise that I will be able to take this story somewhere but I had a good idea to begin with, despite the fact that it kind of faltered pretty quickly. My inspiration comes in the form of _Valentine's Day_ (the movie) and_ Taylor Swift_._

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Chapter 2

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Jacob sighed and dropped the wrench back into the toolbox. He ran his hand across the side of the motorbike before standing up and subsequently hitting his head on the roof of his garage. With a groan, he rubbed his head in frustration and navigated his way outside. As he approached the modest-looking house next to his garage, his father appeared in the doorway.

"Do you have anything planned for today?" asked Billy in his usual friendly voice as Jacob wheeled him down the gentle ramp he had recently rebuilt. Without waiting for a reply from his son, Billy continued, "Because I'm on my way to visit Sue right now and I think it would be nice for Seth and Leah to have some company as well."

For a split second, Jacob contemplated coming up with an excuse but thought better of it and continued to push his father along the streets of La Push. After all, he wasn't the only one nursing a broken heart; the Clearwaters' had also lost someone they loved.

There was silence for most of the journey but Jacob sensed that his father had a reason for asking him along. Another few minutes passed by before Billy's voice cut through the air and confirmed his suspicions.

"Sam came to see me yesterday," he began in a casual tone.

"Telling on me to my father – how mature," Jacob muttered with a roll of his eyes. "He walks around thinking he's better than the rest of us but he's only the alpha because I didn't want to be."

Shaking his head softly, Billy reminded him firmly, "Sam was the first to become a shape-shifter and he has more experience when it comes to remaining calm and rational. You were determined to provoke him into a fight yesterday but he walked away because he has learnt to keep his emotions under control - something you have yet to, and seem unwilling to, master."

"Under control?" retorted Jacob angrily. "Have you forgotten what Emily looks like?"

Billy immediately reached for the brakes on his wheelchair and turned to face his son. "Jake, are you listening to yourself? This is exactly what I'm talking about. Your personality is too volatile right now to even be a wolf, let alone an alpha. I know how hard it has been for you to adjust to this but you need to learn to react in a responsible manner to things that you may not want to hear. If you cannot do that then it will make you a danger to everyone around you, including _Bella_."

Clenching his fists tightly, Jacob closed his eyes and took deep, calming breaths. His father rarely ever raised his voice to anyone and as much as he hated to admit it, there was _some_ truth in Billy's words.

"I'll work on it," Jacob finally relented. "Hold onto those handles properly," he added with a small laugh as he turned the wheelchair around and started into a jog.

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Billy chuckled at the sound of his eleven-year-old son's heavy breathing and asked, "Jake, do you think you can speed it up a little, please?"

_"I might be able to if you stop asking for seconds every time we have dinner at Harry's house," laughed Jacob, struggling to increase his pace._

_"All this extra weight will help you to build those muscles – especially if you want to impress Leah," Billy told him with a knowing smile._

_Jacob could feel his cheeks growing hot and abandoned his attempt to help his father home. He stepped out from behind the wheelchair and started to sprint, only glancing back to grin brightly at Billy and say, "Come on, Dad, you're never going to impress the ladies if you're that slow."_

_For a second, Billy marvelled at how much Jacob's smile resembled his late wife's. "Come on, alpha," he smiled as he wheeled himself to where his son was standing. "I'll race you home."_

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"I'll get it!" called Seth as he pulled himself up from the couch and answered the door. Billy was a frequent – and welcome – visitor at the Clearwater house but to Seth's surprise, Jacob had also joined him today. "Hey guys, come in," he said with a cheerful smile.

"Where's Sue?" asked Billy as Jacob helped him navigate his wheelchair over the doorway with ease.

"Mom's..." Seth trailed off with an amused smile pulling at his lips. "Mom's trying to fix the sink."

Billy took control of his wheelchair and started to make his way to the kitchen. "I'm going to see if I can be of any assistance."

"Thanks Billy," replied Seth gratefully. "I think she could use some help."

"Aren't you supposed to be the one fixing the sink? You are the man – well, more like _boy_ – of the house now," teased Jacob before pulling Seth into a playful headlock. He dropped his voice to a low whisper, knowing that she could still hear him, and joked, "Lesson number one, kid, you can't depend on women."

The sound of footsteps advancing towards them caught their attention and they turned to see Leah walking down the stairs. "I hope you're not bullying my brother," smirked Leah as Seth ducked out of Jacob's grip and headed towards the kitchen to help Sue. "And don't listen to him. Women can fix sinks too," she called after her brother.

Jacob could see Leah's feministic views coming into play and suppressed a laugh. "Well, why aren't you in there now?" he asked, feigning intrigue. He got ready to dodge a slap or a punch or any other form of violence that Leah was going to direct at him but a knock at the door distracted her. "Would you like me to answer it?" Jacob smirked. "I am pretty skilled at opening doors."

Jumping down the last few steps, Leah shot him a glare and rolled her eyes. Her expression turned to one of surprise when she opened the door to reveal Emily standing behind it.

In an attempt to dissolve the awkwardness, Jacob appeared by Leah's side and shot Emily a warm, albeit uneasy, smile. For the past two years, Emily had tried close to everything to gain her cousin's forgiveness and Jacob was sure that many would have given up after the first few weeks. He knew that what happened between Sam and Leah wasn't Emily's fault, and a part of him believes that Leah knows it too.

"I... uh... I'm here to help Sue make dinner. She's been teaching me a few recipes but my attempts usually pale in comparison to hers. Sue's always been a fantastic cook so that isn't a surprise." Emily stopped when she realised that she was rambling. Instead, she took to shifting uncomfortably in the doorway as Leah refused to make eye contact with her.

The silence dragged on endlessly until Leah couldn't take it anymore. "Excuse me," she muttered, pushing past Emily and running straight for the forest.

Emily stared after her cousin sadly before turning to face Jacob. He gave her a small, sympathetic smile and murmured a simple, "I'll go."


	4. Chapter 3

Art of Love

_Author: L_

Disclaimer: _I do not own _Twilight_ or any of its characters._

Author's Note: _I will address Jacob's angst in the next few chapters, and I will also try to parallel the story more with the _Eclipse_ timeline. I'm sorry this chapter is short but it's hard getting into the flow of writing again. I'm also kind of trying to remain impartial to the love triangle between Sam, Leah and Emily._

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Chapter 3

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After reaching the cover of the trees, Jacob wasn't sure if he should phase into a wolf. He stood in silence for a few seconds, listening intently to the peaceful forest. A vibration ran through the ground and he spun in the direction of the source, crouching into a defensive position in case it was Leah looking for someone to take out her frustrations on. Another tremor travelled across the forest floor and he carefully took a few steps forward.

Leah hadn't gone far in her wolf form and looked as if she was preparing herself for an attack. Jacob quickly surveyed the area around her, ready to phase, but to his confusion, Leah's enemy turned out to be a tree. Oblivious to any company, she walked a short distance away from her target before tackling it again. The thick trunk shook violently and several leaves fluttered to the ground.

"Leah!" shouted Jacob as he stepped out from behind his own tree. "What are you playing at? They can probably hear you on the other side of La Push." Leah snarled and turned towards him, narrowing her eyes into vicious slits, but Jacob stood his ground. "Come on, Leah, phase back into a human and let's just... talk about this," he told her in a rather awkward manner. Heart-to-hearts weren't exactly their specialty.

To Jacob's surprise, Leah decided to phase right in front of him and he only just managed to look away in time. She slid into her clothes slowly, sneaking a glance at him out of the corner of her eye and smirking, before remembering her anger at Emily and Sam (and Jacob for interrupting her).

"Fine, I'll talk about it," snapped Leah when he cautiously turned back towards her. She turned to the tree again and clenched her hands into a fist, breathing heavily. Jacob didn't stop her as she furiously threw a punch at the trunk and kicked it over and over again while shouting in a voice that was filled with unmistakeable pain, "Why? Of all the people he could have imprinted on, why did it have to be my cousin? Why did it have to be my best friend? How could they do this to me? How could she choose him over me? _Why_?"

At this point, Jacob decided to intervene and tried to separate a hysterical Leah from the tree. He allowed her to direct her anger at him instead and stood there until exhaustion – Jacob wasn't sure if it was from the pain of the memories or the realisation that she had been holding onto these feelings for too long – overcame her. She put both hands on Jacob's shoulders and focussed on steadying her breathing. A small sniffle from Leah made him realise she was crying but he didn't acknowledge it, knowing that she wouldn't want him to.

When he was sure that she had calmed down, Jacob murmured in a gentle voice, "Leah, you know it's not as simple as that. You know they never meant to hurt you."

"She was my best friend," whispered Leah. "Why did she have to fall in love with him?"

Jacob knew that there would never be an answer to satisfy those questions. There was a lot that they didn't understand and while Leah always felt it was her against the world, she had never been alone. She may not have realised it, but Jacob had shared her pain with her and he knew her anger towards the seemingly irrelevant tree wasn't misplaced.

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He knew he should have left her alone but after Quil had told him how broken Leah was, he wanted to keep an eye on her. Both Quil and Embry had to return home for dinner but Jacob decided to stay and instead, asked them to explain to Billy why he was going to be late.

_Even from the other side of the beach, Jacob could see that Leah was shivering and his hand unconsciously drifted to his own jacket. He wasn't sure how long it had been since the sun had set and while his responsible side was telling him to go find Harry or Sue, his heart just wanted to watch her for a little longer._

_Leah eventually stood up and gently brushed the sand off of her jeans. She made soft footsteps along the beach, unaware that Jacob was following her. He was __conscious_ of how much his actions resembled that of a stalker's but he wanted to make sure she was going to be safe getting home and right now, she was heading in the opposite direction to her house.

_She stepped into the shadow of the forest and stopped in front of a tree. Jacob's boyish figure hid behind a branch and watched as she picked up a sharp piece of rock from the ground. He watched her climb up the first branch of the tree with ease before making two swift, angry movements against the trunk and landing flawlessly on the ground again._

_Ducking into the pitch black cover of the trees, he noticed Leah wipe away a tear. Jacob hesitated as he watched her walk away and glanced back at the tree. In the end, his curiosity won him over and he reached for the branch unsuccessfully. With a short jump, he grabbed hold of the branch and pulled himself unsteadily onto it. The lack of moonlight provided little help and it took him a while to make out a large cross with the words '_Mr. and Mrs. Sam Uley_' written beneath it in Leah's neat handwriting._

_Jacob looked out onto the beach and searched for Leah. She was now walking briskly along it, and he was sure she was crying again._

_"You're going to be okay, Leah," Jacob whispered into the cold night. "I promise."_

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Leah stepped away from Jacob and brushed a hand against the tears in her eyes that had thankfully refused to fall. A hint of embarrassment had started to rush into her cheeks. "If you tell anyone about this..." she began in a threatening tone while she avoided Jacob's gaze.

"Wolf's honour," winked Jacob with a laugh. His tone turned serious as he asked softly, "Are you feeling better?" She responded with a simple nod and he pressed on. "How long have you been holding that in?"

With a sigh, Leah met his eyes and whispered, "Two years." Gesturing to the tree, she shook her head and said with a trace of bitterness, "If I had let it all out two years..." A smile tugged at her lips and a gentle laugh left her. "I... I feel so much better now. It feels like a small weight has been lifted off of my heart. It still hurts," she admitted. "But not as much as it did before."

As Jacob watched Leah bathe in the first steps of liberation from her heartbreak, he couldn't help smiling but an-almost silent rustle caught his attention. He whipped his head around and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at an empty part of the forest until his nose caught a repulsive scent.

Instinctively, Jacob turned back towards Leah who spat the word with revulsion, "_Bloodsuckers_."


	5. Chapter 4

Art of Love

_Author: L_

Disclaimer: _I do not own _Twilight_ or any of the characters._

Author's Note: _I'm sorry about the lack of Blackwater in general and in this chapter especially. While Leah is starting to make some progress, Jacob is still madly in love with Bella. I know the flashbacks can be confusing, largely due to the fact that they're not in chronological order (I have tried to state when they take place). I will try to tone down the use of them._

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Chapter 4

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With a complete disregard for his clothes, Jacob instantly whipped around and phased into a wolf, chasing after the fading scent. Leah watched him vanish deep into the forest and quickly weighed the pros and cons of following him. As much as she hated to have to inhale that foul odour, she was not going to pass up a fight with those filthy bloodsuckers. She could always breathe through her mouth.

After kicking off her trainers, Leah swiftly slipped off her shorts and dropped them clumsily onto the ground in a hurry. She could hear the sound of paws pounding furiously against the ground behind her, followed by a dark grey wolf rushing by. With her competitiveness brought to the surface, Leah immediately broke into a pre-phase sprint, despite the fact that she was still partially-clothed. She was not going to let the rest of the pack have all the fun, and she wanted to make sure that Seth hadn't joined them on this chase.

"And I'm also not walking out of this forest half-naked," she muttered out loud, hastily pulling her shirt over the top of her head and tossing it onto a nearby branch, before phasing low in the air. Leah didn't miss a beat as she raced after Paul, easily overtaking him, and started on the path Jacob had taken.

A firm voice cut into their thoughts. _"If you find yourselves outnumbered, I want you to wait for the rest of the pack to arrive first before making any impulsive decisions,"_ Sam instructed. _"If you're forced to, defend yourselves, but do _not_ show off and try to play the hero."_

_"I don't need to be told twice,"_ Leah told him in an icy tone. She heard Sam let out a weary sigh but he refrained from explaining that he just wanted them to be safe.

_"I think that was for Jake's benefit,"_ Paul smirked. _"It's hard to get anything into that brain of his seeing as it's always crammed full of junk about Bella Swan."_

Both Quil and Embry were ready to jump in and defend their friend but Jared quickly intervened as an unlikely voice of reason. _"We can fight about this later but right now, we have some bloodsuckers to kill,"_ Jared told them enthusiastically. In reality, Jared had only killed one bloodsucker but just the thought of adding to that was enough to send the adrenaline coursing through his body.

Quil was still annoyed by the jab at Jacob and Bella, knowing that it was a sensitive subject for his best friend, but decided to focus on the task at hand instead.

_"Where's Seth?"_ asked Embry, trying to move the conversation along.

_"At home – where he should be,"_ snapped Leah.

Embry glanced at Quil and Jared, who had been running alongside him, with a quizzical look. He had thought it was a perfectly valid question and apparently, so had they. Their bodies tensed at once as the revolting smell suddenly intensified and a flash of flame-red hair followed.

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Sam paused and an awkward silence descended on the living room. Seth's gaze remained fixated on the floor while Leah looked everywhere but at the boy sitting opposite her. Shooting a desperate look at Billy, Sam shifted uncomfortably into the couch. It was the day after Harry's death and Sue had agreed that it was best for them to clear some of the confusion sooner rather than later but considering the circumstances, the Clearwater house was a mix of emotions.

_With an encouraging nod from Billy, Sam continued, "If you have any questions about this then you can always come to me or Billy. We'll explain more when... you're feeling up to it." He glanced at Billy before standing up and gently saying, "I'm really sorry about Harry. If there's anything I can do to help, all you have to do is ask. We're all here for you."_

_Billy wheeled himself closer to the siblings and rested a consolatory hand on Leah's shoulder. "I'll stop by and visit your mother tonight. You don't have to worry about Sue. Charlie and I will do our best to lighten her load and we'll look after her," he assured them. "I know this is a lot to grasp and it could not have come at a worse time but Harry..." His voice started to crack at the mention of his friend. "Your father would be proud of the way you two are handling this."_

_Seth glanced up for the first time that afternoon and the siblings smiled at Billy through watery eyes._

_Turning slowly towards Sam, Leah's eyes locked with his for a second until she dropped her gaze again. She didn't want to grieve their relationship right now. She just wanted to mourn her father._

_"I don't want Seth to get involved in any fights," whispered Leah fiercely. "I just lost my father and–"_

_Sam nodded even though he knew she couldn't see him. "Leah, I will not let Seth get into any dangerous situations." The next words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. "I promise."_

_Fresh tears joined the ones that had dried previously on her cheeks. "Okay" was the only response she could offer. "Thank you for stopping by," whispered Leah, directing her appreciation at Billy, as she stood up and headed straight for the stairs. Rushing up to her bedroom, she slammed the door behind her and threw herself onto her bed, reaching for the family photo that stood on her bedside table._

* * *

Weaving her way around a scatter of trees, Leah caught sight of Jacob's reddish-brown fur just as the stench began to grow stronger. She steadied her pack, keeping in step with him. As they ran, Leah cocked her head slightly and tried to decipher his indifferent expression as his thoughts continued to remain quiet.

_"I'm fine,"_ insisted Jacob.

Leah didn't push the subject and simply shot him a disbelieving look whilst rounding another tree into a clearer part of the forest. A furious snarl erupted from the two wolves when they noticed two bloodsuckers standing on the boundary line that separated the Quileutes from the leeches. The vampires reacted to the wolves' entrance with just as much resentment and immediately shifted into an attacking position.

_"Cullens,"_ Jacob spat venomously. _"Sam, they're right on the boundary line!"_

_"Jacob, calm down,"_ instructed Sam, emerging from behind them. Sam turned around at once as they watched Paul sprint into the clearing, making no attempt to slow down. Instead, he headed straight for Emmett Cullen who had taken one step too far. _"Paul!"_ shouted Sam, but he took no notice of his alpha's warning.

Rosalie Hale instantly shot in front of her mate and snarled defensively at Paul. It only took a few seconds for Carlisle and Esme Cullen to join their family, making it equal numbers on both sides of the line.

"Rose," said Carlisle in a soft but authoritative tone. He waited patiently for her to relax her position before turning to Sam. "We don't want any trouble," he insisted calmly.

Carlisle's attempts to prevent a fight were disrupted by the arrival of three more wolves and the other two members of the Cullen family. This only seemed to fuel the hatred between them as they each tested how far they could push the boundaries that had been set.

"Stop!" said Carlisle, raising his voice slightly.

As a sense of calm washed over the atmosphere, the wolves remembered Jacob mentioning that some of the bloodsuckers' had special powers. Their eyes swept across the Cullens in an attempt to identify the culprit, but Alice Cullen's voice stole their attention.

"We almost had her," Alice told her family. "She went straight down the boundary line and as soon as she crossed onto the Quileutes' land, _they_..." She gestured towards Quil, Embry and Jared. "Went after her but she made it difficult for us to stay on her trail and then she disappeared. Jasper and I decided to come back, and _they_ decided to follow us here."

Jacob glanced at Quil and tensed visibly at the image of the red-headed bloodsucker in his mind. _"Why didn't you tell me that leech had returned?"_ he asked his friends angrily.

_"Jake, it got confusing,"_ replied Embry in a defensive tone. _"__We were trying to make sure that those bloodsuckers didn't cross the line_, and we had to watch ourselves too at the same time. Somehow, that red-headed leech knew how to use the treaty against us."

_"We were also trying to keep an eye on the situation here, just in case you needed our help,"_ added Quil. _"__She caught us off-guard. I mean, we've been patrolling the area for months and until today, she has only shown up twice._ We didn't know how unpredictable she could be."

_"We could have finished her off,"_ retorted Jacob furiously.

_"We'll get her,"_ Sam reassured him. _"I'm going to phase back so we can sort this out. Stay out of trouble,"_ he warned them. _"I'll be gone for less than a minute."_

As they waited for Sam to return, the wolves let out an occasional snarl or growl while the younger Cullens eyed them with disdain. When Sam reappeared, he glanced briefly at Jacob before walking over to Carlisle and stopping a reasonable distance from the boundary line.

"Bella is our friend and we share the same concern for her as you do. However, the treaty was set in place so _we_ can protect our people and our land from _your kind_. If this... leech sets foot on Quileute land again, we can take it from there," said Sam in a hard voice.

Alice was ready to protest but Carlisle shook his head softly at her. "Of course," he murmured, trying to keep the peace. "We understand. Stopping Victoria is the main priority and we will not interfere if she crosses onto your land."

Jacob could feel the rest of the pack staring at him but he ignored them and half-listened to Carlisle's apology until the bloodsuckers eventually left – although unfortunately not with their smell – and Sam sought privacy to phase again.

As his gaze quickly found Quil and Embry's, Jacob asked impatiently, _"Which direction did the red-head disappear in?"_ Despite their reluctance to tell him, their thoughts inevitably betrayed the information that Jacob was looking for. _"I'm going on patrol,"_ Jacob murmured as he passed Sam and started north.

Knowing that he wouldn't be able to stop Jacob without making a direct order, Sam nodded and said, _"Quil and Embry will go with you. We'll swap over at midnight."_

_"Hey Jake, wait up!"_ Leah hastily called after him. She didn't want to be stuck on the night shift with Sam, forced to listen to his sickeningly sweet thoughts about Emily. _"I'm coming with you."_


	6. Chapter 5

Art of Love

_Author: L_

Disclaimer: _I do not own _Twilight_ or any of its characters._

Author's Note: _I really want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. I really appreciate it because I know this story is progressing slowly and I'm not updating as often as I should. In this chapter... there are no flashbacks but there _is_ actual Jacob/Leah interaction._

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_Chapter 5_

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After ten hours of patrol, Victoria's scent had all but faded. They followed her trail until it vanished abruptly off the cliffs of La Push and spent the rest of the day retracing her steps but to Jacob's frustration, they had hit a dead end. When midnight came, Jacob refused to leave and convinced a reluctant Sam to allow him to go over Victoria's trail one last time even though they both knew there was little chance of it making any difference.

A dejected Jacob eventually agreed to go home and slowly walked away.

_"Hey Jake,"_ called Jared as he caught up to him. _"Before I phased, Leah asked me to let you know that she's waiting for you by the edge of the forest,"_ he murmured, jerking his head in the direction of the Clearwaters' house. When Jacob shot him a confused look, Jared shrugged and said, _"That's all she told me."_

Jacob nodded and picked up his pace as Jared headed off in the opposite direction. _"Thanks Jared. Let me know straight away if you discover anything new,"_ he insisted.

_"Sure thing, Jake,"_ replied Jared. _"See you in the morning."_

As he approached the opening of the forest, Jacob's eyes adjusted to the bright light that broke through the branches. Leah's shadowy figure was leaning against a tree, staring into the pitch black forest, but when she heard Jacob's gentle footsteps, she swiftly turned her attention towards him. Her face was illuminated by the soft orange glow of the nearest lamppost and he could see a smirk starting to grace her features.

"I thought you could use these," she murmured, lifting up her arm to show him the pair of white trainers and black shorts in her hand. Leah dropped them onto the ground with a soft _thump_ and said, "I'll wait for you on the path" before adding with a laugh, "Don't worry, Jake. I won't look."

Jacob watched her retreating back as laughter shone in his eyes. When Leah disappeared from view, Jacob took a few steps back and phased into the darkness. He jogged towards his belongings and pulled on his shorts. As he left the forest, Jacob slung his trainers over his shoulder.

"Thanks Leah," murmured Jacob, shooting her an appreciative smile. "You just saved me from having to walk out of the forest completely naked."

"Don't remind me," she groaned. "That would have been priceless."

Grinning as he pulled on his trainers, Jacob asked in a voice full of playful curiosity, "Why _did_ you help me? I mean, it's not like you to pass up an opportunity to embarrass me in front of the whole of La Push and then subsequently tease me about it for life."

"You make me sound like a total bitch," replied Leah, feigning offence and giving him a light shove as they slowly headed towards her house. "And if you must know, I was too tired to fight with my conscience." Cocking her head to the side, she studied his lower body with a teasing smirk and commented casually, "You shouldn't be so shy, Jake. I was... _impressed_ with what I saw."

Jacob's feet drew to an abrupt stop and Leah struggled to suppress her laughter at the shocked expression on his face. He stared at her with wide eyes and a pink tinge creeping into his cheeks while his mouth hung open, unable to form any words.

"Relax, Jake," laughed Leah. "I didn't look." She laughed again when she saw the relief wash over his face. "I try not to," she added, taking note of how close they were to her house. Leah couldn't resist the temptation of teasing him once more before they called it a night. Trying to keep a straight face, she asked in an innocent tone, "You've never watched me phase, have you?"

His eyebrows drew together in confusion until realisation swiftly dawned on him. "Of course I've seen you phase," replied Jacob, letting out an evasive laugh. "It usually happens approximately five seconds before you start trying to rip my head off," he added lightly, trying to move the conversation onto a less awkward topic.

Stopping in front of the Clearwaters' porch, Leah bit down on her bottom lip in an attempt to stop her lips from breaking out into a grin. "Have you ever seen me phase back into a human?"

"What? No! No, of course not," Jacob insisted quickly as he uncomfortably averted his gaze.

"Jeez, Jake, do you think you could have replied any faster?" muttered Leah sarcastically.

Jacob stared at her for a long second with a mystified expression. He was trying to decide if Leah was being serious or just teasing him when he caught a hint of an amused smile playing on her lips. "Leah, you know I didn't mean it like that. I used to think you were really pretty and to be honest, you still are..." A mischievous smile lit up his face as he finished, "If you lose that scowl on your face."

Rolling her eyes, Leah turned and easily reached the top of the porch with two strides. She glanced back to see Jacob strolling away from her house and without thinking twice, Leah called after him quietly in a curious tone, "You used to think I was pretty?"

He spun around, raising his eyebrow in surprise at her question. "I still do," replied Jacob with a brief smile before walking away again.

It was Leah's turn to be surprised. She had expected Jacob to respond with some sort of smart remark but his voice held no sarcasm and if he was teasing her, he didn't show it. Those three words were simply spoken with sincerity.

* * *

Leah groaned as the sunlight hit her full in the face, waking her from a peaceful slumber. She pulled the covers over the top of her head and tried to block out the light but to no avail. When Leah finally accepted that she was not going to fall back to sleep, she threw the covers aside with another groan and blinked several times in an attempt to adjust her eyes to the brightness.

Yawning as she strode down the stairs, the smell of freshly baked muffins drifted through the house and caught Leah's attention. She headed straight towards the kitchen but the sound of voices caused her to freeze. Despite the fact that she was half-awake, it didn't take long for Leah to recognise who the voices belonged to and she quickly started back towards the stairs, hoping that she wouldn't be seen.

"Leah," called Sue, stopping her daughter in her tracks. Leah cursed under her breath and, with an indifferent expression, forced herself to turn around and face her mother. "Emily stopped by with some muffins. You should try one," Sue suggested with a small smile.

"I'm not hungry," Leah responded in an icy tone. She folded her arms across her chest and refused to acknowledge her cousin but when she caught the apprehensive look that Emily shot Sue, she couldn't stop herself from asking, "What's going on?"

"Emily has some news," Sue replied softly as she set her empty mug down in the sink. "I'll leave the two of you to talk about this in private." She placed a comforting hand on her daughter's arm as she passed her and whispered, "Be nice, Leah."

Hostility and anxiety mixed in the air as Emily tried to avoid Leah's piercing glare.

"I..." Emily trailed off and bit her lip nervously. "Sam and I are getting married," she blurted out, holding her breath as she waited for Leah's reaction.

Shock washed over Leah's expression and her body went numb from the revelation. She spared her cousin a brief glance – one that was filled with hurt, pain and _betrayal_ – before turning away.

"Leah," pleaded Emily, reaching out to grab her arm. "Please, just hear me out." Leah didn't shrug her off and she took it as a sign to continue. "I don't blame you for hating me and I know I have no right to ask this but I really hope that you'll consider coming to the wedding. Growing up, you were one of my best friends and I can't imagine getting married without my cousin there by my side."

"You know, it's ironic," whispered Leah in a voice thick with emotion. She could feel the burn of her tears as they came into contact with her skin. "I used to say the exact same thing."

Pulling her arm away from Emily's loosened grip, Leah ran straight for the door and slammed it shut behind her as she jumped over the porch.

One step forward, two steps back.


	7. Chapter 6

Art of Love

_Author: L_

Disclaimer: _I do not own _Twilight_ or any of its characters._

Author's Note: _Well, it took me three weeks to write a mediocre chapter – I guess I'm lucky I'm not planning on being a writer. I'm really sorry. I read a lot of stories so I know it sucks to have to wait for an update but on the bright side, I do have newfound respect for all the authors on this site. Your reviews from the previous chapter has given me an idea to explore the conflict between Leah and Sue in the next chapter. Also, things will actually _start_ happening because by my calculations, only three days have passed by. You might notice that I will omit a lot of the Jacob/Bella scenes because I'm assuming you've all read _Eclipse_ and you'll pretty much know which parts I'm referring to. I don't dislike Bella; I guess I just don't really feel like I can write her._

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_Chapter 6_

* * *

Leah closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of the ocean nearby as the wind picked up, carrying the smell of dirt, grass and sand through the air. Hidden within the rustle of the leaves was the sound of footsteps crunching gently against the forest floor and a few seconds later, she felt a warm body sit down beside her.

"How did you know I would be here, Jake?" asked Leah with a sigh. She drew her knees close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them tightly as she opened her eyes and kept her gaze on the ocean.

"How did you know it was me?" Jacob shot back with a small smile as he stretched his legs out in front of him on the grass and leaned back on his elbows.

"I wasn't exactly expecting a search party," muttered Leah, and Jacob thought he could hear a hint of resentment in her voice. "Don't change the subject, Jake. How did you know where to find me?"

Jacob followed her gaze and stared ahead. "I know you better than you think, Leah," he replied as she turned towards him enquiringly. "I knew you wouldn't have phased because you feel vulnerable when the rest of the pack reads your mind, even if it's unintentional. This is the perfect spot for you – you love First Beach and the cover of the trees would ensure you have privacy."

She glanced away briefly, unsure of how to respond. Jacob was constantly surprising her these days – this time it was with his profound knowledge of her – but it did feel _nice_ to have someone understand her.

"I talked to Sam and he told me what happened," murmured Jacob, breaking the silence and cutting into her thoughts. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly. Tilting his head to the side, he shot her a boyish smile. "Or if you prefer, we can wait two years from now?"

Leah managed a small smile at his attempt to cheer her up but continued to stay silent.

"You know, if you talk about your feelings, they won't play on your mind as heavily and then you can hide them much better from the rest of the pack," Jacob added, trying a different form of persuasion.

"What is it with you and talking these days?" Leah teased lightly but her voice was full of genuine curiosity. Jacob tried to turn away subtly so she wouldn't be able to read his expression but Leah noticed his evasiveness. "Are you blushing?" she asked as intrigue shone in her eyes.

"Now who's changing the subject?" retorted a grinning Jacob.

Rolling her eyes, Leah laughed gently. "Okay, let's stop with the rhetorical questions. You can start psychoanalysing me after you tell me why you've been acting so out-of-character lately. I mean, you're being nice, attentive..." She trailed off, smirking at Jacob's embarrassed expression.

His eyebrows scrunched together in contemplation as he let out an awkward chuckle. "If I tell you, you're going to laugh," murmured Jacob after a brief silence.

"No, I won't," Leah protested at once.

Jacob shot her a disbelieving smile and laughed as he shook his head. "You've always been a terrible liar," he joked, knowing that she was more than capable of hiding the truth. "But I could use a girl's opinion and seeing as La Push seems to be running low on the female gender, I guess I'm just going to have to rely on your expertise," he grinned.

"You're stalling," smirked Leah. "It _must_ be embarrassing."

"That's not making me want to tell you," Jacob pointed out. "Look, the truth is..." He trailed off, feeling his cheeks grow hot. A sheepish expression spread across his face as he admitted in a mumble, "Okay, don't laugh but... I'm doing this for Bella."

A flurry of feelings hit Leah at once as the smile slowly fell from her face. While her mind struggled to follow Jacob's line of thought, her mouth unconsciously repeated, "Bella?" The confusion was evident in her voice but there was another emotion present; one that she couldn't identify.

"I see the way that bloodsucker is with her and I know why Bella has convinced herself that she loves him now. She's seen Emily. She's seen the dangers of being with a wolf and she's scared. Billy's right. I have to keep my temper under control and Bella needs to know that I'm always here for her, even if she just needs someone to talk to. I want her to know that I'm still Jacob," he finished sadly.

With a melancholy expression on her face, Leah remained quiet and slowly took in his words as a calm silence settled over them. After a few minutes, she realised that he was waiting for her to speak but she was at an honest loss for words.

"Come on, let's go for a walk," she eventually suggested, hoping to buy herself more time to come up with an appropriate response. She got to her feet and jumped down onto the beach below the grassy area where they had been sitting, landing flawlessly on the ground and sending a small scatter of sand into the air.

"No laughter, no sarcastic comments – either it wasn't as embarrassing as I thought it would be or you've gone soft," grinned Jacob, trying to lighten the atmosphere as he joined her.

Leah managed a weak smile but inside, she was disappointed. She wasn't selfish or naïve enough to believe that Jacob's recent actions were solely for her benefit, but she had thought it was partly due to the fact that they were (sort of) friends. It really shouldn't have surprised her that it had all been for Bella Swan but she had to admit she did feel a little offended at being treated as a practice dummy.

"I went to see Bella today," confessed Jacob, almost whispering the words, as they slowly walked across the sand with an uncomfortable silence hanging over them.

This caught Leah off-guard and she instantly turned her attention towards him. "Oh, you did?" she mumbled lamely. He nodded and she quickly moved the conversation along before it faltered again. "I thought you decided that the two of you couldn't see each other anymore?" she asked softly.

Jacob narrowed his eyes with playful accusation. "How did you know about that?"

"Hey, I always respect your privacy," laughed Leah before softening her tone. "You weren't really subtle with your thoughts about the notes she had been sending you," she told him with a slight smirk.

He let out a heavy sigh as the sadness weighed down on him. "I went under the pretence of warning those bloodsuckers to keep off of our land but after what happened yesterday, I just needed to know that she was safe and I had to see it myself. I'm not giving up, Leah. I'm going to fight for her because underneath all this anger, I really miss her." He swallowed hard and laughed bitterly. "It sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't," she whispered sincerely. "I know how you feel. Underneath all this bitterness and sarcasm, I'm barely holding it together. I'm scared that one day all the pain will finally go away and I'll just be left feeling empty so I'm still holding on, even though it hurts. I can't bring myself to believe that it's possible to get over Sam or that..." She trailed off as her vision started to cloud over.

"You might actually be missing Emily," finished Jacob with a sympathetic smile.

"I'm not going to the wedding," she told him in a definitive tone.

Nodding once, Jacob admitted, "I wasn't expecting you to, but I think that you should." Leah glared at him but Jacob didn't give her the opportunity to protest. "It might give you some closure," he murmured before breaking into a grin and shrugging casually. "Or you could just come to keep me company."

"Wait, you're going?" demanded Leah as her feet drew to an abrupt stop.

Jacob stopped as well and started to explain. "Well, Sam wanted to know why I had gone to see Bella today and then the conversation moved onto Emily and you. He told me about the wedding and asked me if I would like to be one of his groomsmen. I said I'd think about it, but if you're adamant about not going then I guess I don't have a reason to go."

Leah's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "No offence, Jake, but why would Sam ask you to be a groomsman?" The irritation on her expression began to alleviate as she murmured, "And if you want to go then you should. It's okay. You don't have to worry about me."

"I think he just wants to ease some of the tension between us," shrugged Jacob. "Look, Leah, I was only planning on going so I could stop you from shoving Emily's face in the cake, or phasing and trying to bite her head off," he grinned.

"On second thoughts, maybe I will go," she smirked.

Jacob chuckled and they started walking again. "I know you're going to feel even worse on the actual day but whether you're at the wedding or not, you still won't be alone. I'll be here for you." He swung his arm around her shoulders in a playful manner. "To be honest, I'm not even sure why Emily asked you to go."

"I guess she was hoping there was a chance that I would say yes," muttered Leah.

"I was referring to the fact that you could easily upstage her," Jacob corrected with a smile. "I mean, no bride wants their spotlight stolen away from them, right?"

Leah rolled her eyes and laughed. "Thanks, Jake. You know, just because you're a shape-shifter now, it doesn't change anything. You're still a good listener and you're still a great friend," she told him.

"Wow, _two_ compliments in one sentence – I guess you need a favour," he joked.

Shoving him away lightly, a thought suddenly hit Leah. She hesitated and unconsciously bit down on her lower lip. "Actually Jake, I could use a favour."

When he realised that she was serious, Jacob nodded and replied, "Of course, Leah – anything."


End file.
